Destiny
by Transient Sparrow
Summary: 8 years. That's how long it's been since Ladybug and Chat Noir have seen each other. Both have regrets, but their careers and busy workloads make it impossible to dwell in the past, until the holiday season finds Marinette back in Paris, and she decides to take out her miraculous for a spin to offset the stress of reality. Unbeknownst to her, a certain cat has the same idea.


Okay, so I know I should be updating my other story. HOWEVER, I really wanted to write this, because a couple lines in the play I was recently in really hit me hard and made me want to try this out. (ALSO SEASON 2 HAS ME SCREAMING BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER TIME) Anyway, please enjoy this thing that I will actually update.

* * *

Marinette sighed deeply as she took in her surroundings. Walking down the streets of Paris again, a nostalgic feeling washed over her as she made her way to the bakery she had grown up in. She was 26 now, a grown woman, with a career in fashion that took her all across the globe, and she hardly had time to visit the city that she had called home for so long. Her eyes downcast, she pulled up her scarf and rubbed her hands together, the frigid winter had just set in, and she was unprepared, having spent so much time in the warmth of Southern Italy for a new line she was working on. Basking in the memories of her youth, Marinette almost lost her way to her parents' bakery, and catching herself, she finally made it to the door.

A chime sounded as she pushed her way in, and her mother glanced up from the front counter to greet her, before hesitating, a wide gape overtaking her face, soon to be replaced by a toothy grin. "Marinette! I had no idea you were visiting!" the small woman quickly made her way out from behind the counter, enfolding her daughter into a warm embrace.

Pulling away, Marinette shed her coat and placed it on a rack nearby, before smiling sincerely at Sabine. "I wanted to surprise you, maman," she peered around the empty bakery. "Where's papa?" she questioned with a slight frown. "He's out making deliveries for the holiday season right now, but he should be home soon," Sabine answered nonchalantly. Marinette nodded in understanding, and her mother beckoned her to sit at a table with her to chat. They soon fell into a lighthearted conversation, laughing and reminscing as if Marinette had been gone for hours instead of years.

"So how long are you staying in Paris? Do you have a place to stay?" Sabine asked. "Probably about a week, and I was planning to stay in a hotel, as not to inconveinence you and dad," Marinette replied with ease. "Oh don't be silly," Sabine pounded a hand into her shoulder, "You could never be an inconveinence to us, and besides, we rarely get to see you, it would be a pleasure to have you stay for the holidays, just like old times," she insisted with a twinkle of nostalgia in her eye. Marinette smiled gratefully before responding. "That would be great, maman, thank you so much,"

"Of course! You can take your old room, too!" Sabine said excitedly, getting up so she could close the bakery down for the evening. Marinette laughed and thanked her mother again, before a yawn escaped her mouth, born from the months of nonstop work she had dedicated herself to recently. Sabine smiled softly and whispered "Maybe you should get some sleep now, come on," helping her daughter up the stairs and leading her to the room that hadn't been used in 8 years. Once Marinette was situated on the chaise, she said goodnight and closed the door to the room softly, walking back downstairs to clean up the bakery. Marinette tiredly looked around her old room, cringing at the pictures of Adrien that were still slapped on all the walls of the room. They were now worn from age, and reminded her of the crush that never became anything more than such, though she was now sure she was 100% over him now.

She got up and wandered around, sliding a finger across the dusty desk and wiping it on her pant leg, before stopping her tour at the vanity in the corner of her room. On top was a small jewelry box, one she hadn't seen or thought about in years, brown with intricate gold designs on top, covered in dust. The designer felt a tear form in the corner of her eye, and roll down her cheek, as she thought about her past life as a crime-fighting super hero, of the seemingly endless akuma attacks she had endured, of the late nights she spent swinging from rooftop to rooftop, watching over the breathtaking perspective of Paris as only she could, and most of all, she thought about her ex-partner: Chat Noir.

The tears kept coming, Marinette couldn't help it; she missed her partner and his antics, his bad jokes, the way he smiled at her like she was the most important person in the world, and she wished she had made more of an attempt to keep in touch with him, but now there was no way she could contact him, as the duo hadn't fought together in years, not since the defeat of Hawkmoth had rendered their services useless to the city, not since Paris had moved on from its reliance on Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Marinette picked up the box and blew the dust away, contemplating opening it and facing the past she had tried so hard to move on from. Eventually, however, her heart won out, as it yearned to remember the days of her past that had filled her life with such vibrancy and excitement. She opened the box, the red earrings looking just as they had nearly a decade ago, and without thinking, she undid the backs of the earrings and fit them gently into her own ears. A red blur flew out from the jewelry, and there Tikki floated, just as cute as she remembered her.

Tikki looked confused and bewildered for a minute, yawning and stretching as she had not been released from the earrings for a long time. Upon seeing Marinette, she cried out in happiness and zoomed toward the woman's face, nuzzling her affectionately. "Marinette? Is that really you?" Tikki asked shakily. Marinette's eyes were now overflowing with tears, as she had missed the kwami that had given her so much guidance throughout high school, and had protected her through her years as a superhero. "Yes, Tikki, it's really me," Marinette replied. For a while, neither of them spoke, simply relishing in the past together, before Tikki pulled away and looked her in the eye with worry. "What's happened? Why did you put the miraculous back on? Is there trouble?" Marinette sighed and looked away. "No, there's no trouble, I just came home for the holidays and I saw the box so I..."

Tikki relaxed and smiled at Marinette gently. "So you wanted to be Ladybug again? One more time?" Marinette looked back at the kwami and nodded tearily. "Life has been so hectic lately, I don't understand anything anymore and I- I just miss the days when I could take everything out on an akuma, back when everything made sense," she stammered out. Tikki nodded in understanding, and though the miraculous was really only meant to be used for the purpose of keeping the balance in the fragile universe, she supposed it could be used to cheer up her former charge just this once. The kwami looked to Marinette before speaking. "Alright. You know what to say," Marinette smiled gratefully before turning away and saying the familiar words once again.

"Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

Across the city, Adrien Agreste, a 26 year old model and now the owner of his father's company, sat in his empty dining room with his head propped up on his hand, a bored expression lining his face, as he peered through the large window in front of him. He couldn't help but feel alone on this sparkling Friday night, while all of Paris was alight with the bustling activities of its energetic populace, he was stuck, as he had been for so many Friday nights, alone in his giant apartment, which was paid for by the huge salary from his enslaving career that he had inherited from his father. He sighed thinking about Gabriel. Once he and Ladybug had figured out the mastermind behind the akuma attacks was none other than Gabriel Agreste, it had been a difficult battle to take him down, and though he was angry and shocked beyond belief at his father's actions, he could not bring himself to neglect the years of work Gabriel had put into building his company from the ground up, and therefore took up the job as acting manager, continuing his modeling on the side, though he did not like it any more than he had when he was younger.

"Ladybug..." the young man sighed again and dropped his head on to the table apathetically. He hadn't seen the spotted heroine since he was 18, since they had agreed to put down their miraculous and go their separate ways, for lack of a threat to the city. He still thought about her every day. Sometimes, though he kept it secret, he would slip the cat miraculous back on his finger, despite complaints from Plagg, and scour the city for any sign of the girl he had loved so dearly back in the day, though it was futile. Adrien knew deep down he would probably never see her again, as she had only ever been Ladybug for the duty, while he had been Chat Noir for the freedom it entailed. Still, he missed her. How couldn't he? She was such a big part of his life for so long, she taught him that there was more to life than doing what one is told. She helped him feel... alive.

He didn't feel so 'alive' now.

Sure he had dated, tried to get over her, but he found that every relationship eventually fell to shambles. He couldn't help it. All he could think about whenever he was with a new girl was his lady, how her hair shone in the sun, how her eyes twinkled in the night, and every other potential love interest paled in comparison.

Getting up from the wooden chair, Adrien walked over to the sink to clean some dirty dishes. While he scrubbed, his eyes wandered over to the counter by the window, on which a brown box sat perfectly, mockingly, calling out to him. He turned off the tap, eyes trained on the box in desire, and slowly trekked over to the counter, inching closer to the past he could never seem to let go. How many times had he become Chat Noir since the defeat of Ladybug? Probably more than he should have. Plagg never seemed to mind though, he knew how depressed the young man could get when his thoughts went astray, he knew how important the freedom of the suit was to him, though he'd never admit it out loud. Adrien figured, as long as he had some Camembert to placate the cat kwami, Plagg would have no problem allowing him to transform again tonight?

With these thoughts brewing in his mind, Adrien lifted the box from its spot and opened it carefully, drawing out the white ring from inside and placing it delicately on his finger. Immediately, Plagg flew from the ring, looking slightly dazed but more annoyed at being awoken than anything. Adrien smiled sheepishly at the kwami, breaking the silent glare Plagg had been bestowing upon him. "Hey Plagg, long time no see?" The tiny god of destruction huffed and answered sarcastically. "Yeah right, as if we don't do this every few weeks or so," he stretched and yawned, resigning himself to the whims of the charge that held a special, secret place in his heart. "So are you gonna transform or what?" he suggested with an air of indifference, being careful to mask the underlying yearning he had to exercise his powers once again. Adrien grinned knowingly at the cynical kwami, holding his fist out with pride and exuberance. "You bet, buddy," He turned to an invisible audience and shouted with gleeful ambition,

"Plagg, claws out!"


End file.
